Two input counter unit



March 29, 1966 F. DALLEN 3,243,111

TWO INPUT COUNTER UNIT Filed May 12, 1965 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 InventorlEsL/E F DALLEN B Mb, & Mi

A llorneys March 29, 1966 1.. F. DALLEN 3,243,111

TWO INPUT COUNTER UNIT Filed May 12, 1965 3 Sheets-Sheet z Inventor[E5115 7'. DAZLEA/ By &

A tlorneys March 29, 1966 F. DALLEN 3,243,111

TWO INPUT COUNTER UNIT Filed May 12, 1965 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 InventorLESLIE F DALLEN A tlorney5 United States Patent Claims priority,application Great Britain, May 29, 1964,

22,215/ 64 6 Claims. (Cl. 235-138) Counter units having number wheelswhich register a count are known, and in some units it is desirable tobe able to supply a count input to at least two number wheels of theunit, rather than to follow the more normal course of supplying an inputto only the endmost number wheel of a series of such wheels.

The requirement of being able to supply a count input to at least two ofthe number wheels arises, for example, in respect of counter units whichregister currency values. In a unit for registering pence and shillingsand tens of shillings, it may be required separately to acuate thenumber wheel allocated to shillings and the number wheel allocated to'pence, but it will be appreciated that a transfer action from the pencenumber wheel to the shillings number wheel is necessary once for eachrevolution of the pence number wheel. Analogous considerations arise inconnection with number wheels registering cents and dollars.

It is an object of the invention to provide a counter unit wherein countinputs can be fed to at least two number wheels directly andindependently of one another without disturbing the otherwise usualtransfer action.

It is another object of the invention to provide such a counter unitwhich is simple in construction and is yet reliable in use.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will becomeapparent to those skilled in the art from the following detaileddescription of the invention when read with reference to theaccompanying somewhat diagrammatic drawings which are given by way ofexample and in which:

FIG; 1 is an elevational view, partly in section, of a counter unithaving number wheels by which pence, unit shillings, tens of shillings,pounds, tens of pounds and hundreds of pounds can be registered;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view, partially broken away, along the line II-IIof FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a sectional fragmentary View, along the line {IL-III of FIG.1; and

FIG. 4 is a sectional fragmentary view, along the line lV-IV of FIG. 1.

The counter unit illustrated comprises a base 1 carrying two spacedapart parallel side walls 2 and 3. A shaft 4 is mounted between the sidewalls 2 and 3 and carries six number wheels 5, r6, 7, 8, 9 and 10 whichare freely rotatable thereon. Wheel 5 serves for registering pence,wheel 6 shillings, wheel 7 tens of shillings, wheel 8 pounds, wheel 9tens of pounds and wheel 10 hundreds of pounds.

Four transfer pinions 13 which are freely rotatable on a'shaft 14 areprovided for rotating number wheel 7, 8, 9 or 10 through one step whenthe preceding number Wheel 6, 7, 8 or 9 respectively has rotated througha complete revolution. The arrangement of the transfer pinions is notshown in detail, since such transfer pinion arrangements are well knownand are used in conventional stepby-step digital counting mechanisms.

The respective transfer pinions are driven by teeth pro- I vided on therespective succeeding number wheels. To

enable resetting of the number wheels 5 to 10 to zero or to apredetermined position, the transfer pinions 13 are movable into adisengaged position, by means of the shaft 14. For this purpose, theshaft 14 is mounted between rocker levers 15 which are pivoted to theWall 3, which bearing directly engages the shaft 42, and a Patented Mar.29, 1966 side walls 2 and 3 by studs 16. Each rocker lever 15 carries astud 17 which engages in a cam slot 18 (FIG. 2) of, an actuating segment19 which is manually operable by a pullrod 20, each segment 19 beingpivoted to the respective side wall 2 or 3 at 22, the shape of the camslot 18 being such that when the stud 17 is at one end of the slot 18the transfer pinion shaft 14 is in such a position that the transferpinions 13 engage the number wheels whereas when the stud 17 is at theother end of the slot 18 the transfer pinion shaft is in such a positionthat the transfer pinions 13 are disengaged from the number wheels.

When the transfer pinions 13 are disengaged from the number wheels, thenumber wheels may be rotated for resetting. Such rotation may bemanually effected or may be effected by known resetting devices (notshown). Such known devices may comprise pawls which are brought intoengagement with cams provided on the number wheels so as to rotate thecams and therewith the number wheels, into predetermined positions.Number wheel 5 rigidly carries a toothed wheel 23 which meshes with atoothed wheel 24 fixed on a sleeve 25 rotatably disposed on a shaft 26mounted between the side walls 2 and 3. Toothed wheel 24 meshes with atoothed wheel 27 carried by a hub 28 which is freely rotatable on ashaft 29 mounted between the side walls 2 and 3. The hub 28 also carriesa toothed wheel 31 and this is positioned for engagement by toothmembers 32 of a drum arrangement generally indicated by referencenumeral 33.

Number wheel 6 rigidly carries a toothed wheel 34 which meshes with atoothed wheel 35 freely rotatable on the sleeve 25. Toothed wheel 35meshes with toothed wheel 36 which forms part of a sleeve 37 of which atoothed wheel 38 and a toothed wheel 39 also form part, the sleeve 37being freely rotatable on the shaft 29. Toothed wheel 38 is positionedfor engagement by tooth members 41 of the drum arrangement 33.

The drum arrangement 33 comprises a shaft 42 which is rotatably mountedby means of a bearing 43 in the side bearing 44 in the side wall 2,which engages an outer sleeve 45 of two concentric sleeves 45 and 46disposed.

on the shaft 42. Sleeve 45 carries a knob 47 for rotation thereof andsleeve 46 carries a knob 48 for rotation thereof.

Sleeve 46 carries a flange 51 in which at least one detent ball 52 isseated, the ball 52 being urged by a compression spring 53 into detentengagement with a flange 54 fixed to the shaft 42 by a key 55. vAnotherflange 56 is fixed to the flange 54 by a plurality of spacing rods 57.The sleeve 45 carries a flange 58 in which at least one deten-t ball 61is seated, the ball 61 being urged by a compression spring 62 intodetent engagement with the flange 56.

The spacing rods 57 slidably carry the tooth members 32 and 41, the saidtooth members having pegs 63 which engage in cam tracks 64 and 65 formedin the cylindrical peripheries of the flanges 51 and 58 respectively.The cam tracks 64 and 65 are so shaped that depending on the extentthrough which the knobs 47 and 48 are turned relative to the shaft 42the number of tooth members 32 and 41 which have such an axial positionas to be engageable with the toothed wheels 31 and 3-8, respectively, onrotation of the entire drug arrangement 33 by the shaft 42, can bevaried. Accordingly, knob 47 serves for setting the number of pencewhich will be registered;

on number wheel 5 for one revolution of shaft 42 and knob 48 serves forsetting the number of shillings which will be registered on number wheel6 for one revolution,

of shaft 4-2.

It will be noted that a transfer pinion is not provided for effecting atransfer between number wheel and number wheel 6 when number wheel 5 hasturned through one revolution. The reason for this is that difiicultieswould be encountered if a transfer to number wheel 6 had to take placeat the same time as a rotation of number wheel 6 by its direct inputtoothed wheel chain 34, 35, 3 6, 38, 41. Instead, an arrangement havinga storage action is provided for rotating number wheel 6 by one step,subsequent to any rotation of number wheel 6 by the toothed wheel chain34, 35, 36, 38 and 41 from the drum arrangement 33, if during rotationof number wheel 5 from the drum arrangement 33, the number wheel 5completed a revolution, that is to say moved from an indication ofeleven pence to an indication of zero pence (1 shilling, it should benoted, equalling 1 pence)- This delayed rotation of number wheel 6 byone step is effected through the toothed wheel chain 39, 38, 36, 35, 34.For this purpose, toothed wheel 39 is rotated through one tooth spaceand this is done by means of an actuating drum 66 in which a levermember 67 having a single tooth 68 is mounted. The lever member 67 ispivoted on a shaft 69 in the drum 66 and is urged by a compressionspring 71 into its position shown in full lines in'F'IG. 1, that is tosay the position in which its tooth 6 8 lies out of a path of engagementwith the toothed wheel 39. The drum 66 is keyed to the shaft 42 by a key72, for rotation therewith.

It will be understood that for the lever member 67 to be effective forengaging the toothed wheel 39 as it moves into the range thereof duringone revolution of the shaft 4-2, the lever member 67 has to be movedinto the position shown in broken lines in FIG. 1. Such movement of thelever member 67 is effected when during the preceding part of onerevolution of the shaft 42 the number wheel 5 rotates from an indicationof eleven to an indi cation of zero. In this case, a cam 73 which isrotatably mounted on the shaft 29 and which has an oblique face 74 isencountered by the lever member 67 so as to deflect the lever member 67to the right as viewed in FIG. 1, if the cam 73; has been moved into itseffective position.

The cam 73 is mounted on a hub 75 which carries a wheel 76 having a step77 (see FIGS. 1 and 3) and this step 77 is engageable by a single tooth81 on a wheel 8% which is fixed to the sleeve 25. The sleeve is rotatedby toothed wheel 24 during rotation of the number wheel Sand the tooth81 on wheel 82 is so positioned as to engage the steps 77 of wheel 76,whereby to rotate the wheel 76, during rotation of number wheel 5 froman indication of eleven to an indication of zero. Rotation of wheel 76rotates the cam 73, which is rigid therewith, and thus positions the cam73 for engagement by the tooth 68 at the appropriate point in therotation of the drum 66 by the shaft 42. On such engagement of the cam73 by the tooth 68, the tooth 68 slides along the face 74 of the cam 73and is thereby deflected into the position shown in broken lines in FIG.1, that is to say into engagement with the toothed wheel 39, thiscausing the number wheel 6 to be driven through one step through thechain of toothed wheels 39, 38, 36, 35, and 34.

Since drive of the number wheel 6 by this chain of toothed wheels is tobe elfected after any drive of the number wheel 6 by the drumarrangement 33 has been completed, the lever member 67 is provided inthe drum 66 at a region which, in terms of rotation, lags behind theregions of the drum arrangement 33 in which the toothed members 32 and41 are provided.

It will be appreciated that as soon as the number wheel 5 turns from anindication of eleven to an indication of zero, the cam 73 isv moved intoan operative position for subsequent engagement by the tooth 68. Sincethis engagement takes place only after the drive of the number wheels 5and 6 from the drum arrangement 33 has been completed, it is necessaryto ensure that the cam 73 remains in its operative position until thesaid engagement has taken place. This is ensured by a detent spring 83(see FIG. 4) which engages a peg 84 on a detent lever 85 rotatablymounted on a shaft 86 extending between the side walls 2 and 3.

The detent spring 83 has a bi-stable overcentre action with respect tothe peg 84. The detent lever 85 is rigid with a member 87 having aseries of teeth by which it meshes with a member 88 having a series ofteeth, the member 88 being rigid with the toothed wheel 76, hub and cam73. Due to the meshing of the toothed members 87 and 88, the detentaction provided by the spring 83 is effective for holding the cam 73 inits inoperative position, prior to engagement of the tooth 81 of wheel82 with the step 77 of wheel 76, and for holding it in its operativeposition subsequent to this engagement.

After rotation of the drum 66 past a position in which the tooth 68 iscaused to engage the toothed wheel 39, the cam 73 is returned to itsinoperative position. For this purpose the toothed member 87 is providedwith an extension 91 (see FIG. 4) which is engaged by a single fixedtooth 92 on the drum 66 during subsequent rotation of the drum 66through the remainder of its revolution.

In use of the counter unit, the number of pence to be added to theindication given by the number wheels is set by turning knob 47 to anappropriate position, and the number of shillings to be added to theindication given by the number wheels is set by turning knob 48 to anappropriate position. The set pence and shillings amounts are then addedto the indication given (by the number wheels by rotation of the shaft42 through one revolution. During the first part of this revolution theactual adding of the set pence and shillings amounts to the indicationgiven by the number wheels takes place and during a later part of therevolution, any transfer from the pence number wheel 5 to the shillingsnumber wheel 6, occasioned by number wheel 5' having passed through anindication of eleven, is affected.

In the embodiment described, the invention has been applied to acounting-unit for currency values involving pence and shillings. Ofcourse, the invention is equally applicable to counting-units forcurrency values based on a decimal system or to counting-units for otherpurposes, where it is desired to provide for direct operation of atleast two number wheels of the counting unit while allowing a delayedtransfer action from one of the said two number wheels to the other.

It should be clearly understood that the embodiment described is givenby way of example only and that modifications, additions and omissionsare possible without departing from the spirit of this invention.

I claim:

1. A counter unit comprising a plurality of rotatable number wheels,first means for driving one of said plurality of number wheels forregistering a desired count thereby, second means for driving anotherone of said plurality of number wheels for registering a desired countthereby, means for imparting a rotation to said other number wheel whensaid one number wheel passes through a predetermined position, means forrendering said rotation imparting means operative only after the drivingof the said other number wheel by the said second driving means has beeneffected, said rotation imparting means comprising a lever, a toothmember on said lever, a toothed wheel, rotatably mounted cam means forengagement by said lever to move said tooth member into position forengaging said toothed wheel, a rotation-imparting member rigid with saidcam means, said cam means being rotatable from an inoperative positioninto an engagement-clr'ective position by said rotation-impartingmember, a wheel, and a tooth thereon, said rotation-imparting memberbeing arranged for engagement by said tooth of said wheel which is.rotatable in sequence with rotation of said one number wheel, whereby onrotation of said one number wheel through said predetermined position,said tooth of said rotatable wheel engages said rotationimparting memberand rotates said cam means into the engagement-efiective position.

2. A counter unit comprising a plurality of rotatable number wheels,first means for driving one of said plurality of number wheels forregistering a desired count thereby, second means for driving anotherone of said plurality of number wheels for registering a desired countthereby, means for imparting a rotation to said other number wheel whensaid one number wheel passes through a predetermined position, means forrendering said rotation imparting means operative only after the drivingof the said other number wheel by the said second driving means has beeneffected, said rotation imparting means being arranged to act throughpart of the said second driving means, a rotatable member forming partof said rotation imparting means, a tooth member on said rotatablemember, a toothed wheel arranged to act on said second driving means,said tooth member being adapted to be moved into and out of a positionfor engaging said toothed wheel, a lever and spring means, said toothmember being formed on said lever rockably mounted in said rotatablemember and urged by said spring means into a position in which its pathof travel with said rotatable member is clear of the said toothed wheel,rotatably mounted cam means for engagement by said lever to move saidtooth member into a position for engaging said toothed wheel, means formoving said cam means into a position for engagement by said lever whensaid one number wheel passes through said predetermined position and forreturning said cam means into an inoperative position after said cammeans have caused said tooth member of the said lever to be efiective onsaid second driving means, said cam means, on movement of said onenumber Wheel through said predetermined position, being moved into saidengagement-effective position, said cam means remaining in said positionwhile said lever is brought into engagement therewith by rotation ofsaid rotatable member a rotation-imparting member rigid with said cammeans, said cam means being rotatable from the inoperative position intothe engagement-effective position by said rotation-imparting member, awheel, and a tooth thereon, said rotation-imparting member beingarranged for engagement by said tooth of said wheel which is rotatablein sequence with rotation of said one number wheel, whereby on rotationof said one number wheel through said predetermined position, said toothof said rotatable wheel engages said rotation-imparting member androtates said cam means into the engagement-efiective position.

3. A counter unit as defined in claim 2, and further comprising atoothed Wheel rigid with said cam means, a rotatably mounted gearmember, a lever arm carried by said gear member, a projection on saidlever arm, and a flat spring engaging said projection, said cam meansbeing disposed in engagement with said rotatably mounted gear member,said fiat spring cooperating with said projection in an overcentredetent action to provide detent location for said cam means in each ofits two positions.

4. A counter unit as defined in claim 3, and further comprising aprojection on said rotatably mounted gear member, and a fixed tooth,said projection being engageable by said fixed tooth which is providedon said rotatable member, said fixed tooth being arranged after saidlever, in terms of rotation of said rotatable member, for rotating saidgear member to return said cam means to the inoperative position.

5. A counter unit as defined in claim 2, wherein said first drivingmeans comprise a toothed wheel fixed to said one number wheel, a trainof toothed wheels in engagement with said first-mentioned toothed wheel,and a rotatable member having a plurality of teeth adapted for beingmoved into and out of a position for engaging said toothed wheel train,and wherein said second driving means comprise a toothed wheel fixed tosaid other number wheel, a train of toothed wheels in engagement withsaid toothed wheel, and a rotatable member having a plurality of teethadapted for being moved into and out of a position for engaging saidtoothed wheel train, and further comprising a driving shaft of thecounter unit, a yoke arrangement fixed to said driving shaft, guidemembers and tooth members, said rotatable member of said first drivingmeans and said rotatable member of said second driving means beingmutually rotatably mounted relative to said yoke arrangement, saidrotatable member of said rotation-imparting means being fixed to saidshaft, said yoke arrangement including said guide members which extendparallel to said driving shaft and on which said tooth members eachbearing one of said teeth are slidably disposed, a peripheral cam trackon each of said rotatable members of said first and second drivingmeans, a follower on each of said tooth members engaged by each camtrack, said cam tracks being so shaped that, by rotation of saidrotatable members relative to said yoke arrangement through apredetermined extent, a selected number of said tooth members allocatedto each of said rotatable members of said driving means are movedaxially along said guide members into and out of a position for engagingsaid toothed wheel train and detent means between each of said rotatablemembers of said driving means and said yoke arrangement to hold saidrotatable members in desired set positions relative to said yokearrangement.

6. A counter unit as defined in claim 5, wherein said movable teethprovided on said rotatable member of said first driving means and onsaid rotatable member of said second driving means are disposed atregions thereof which are in advance, in terms of the joint rotation ofsaid rotatable members, of said movable tooth member provided on saidrotatable member of said rotationimparting means.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS Strickland 235138LEO SMILOW, Primary Examiner.

C. G. COVELL, Assistant Examiner.

1. A COUNTER UNIT COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF ROTATABLE NUMBER WHEELS,FIRST MEANS FOR DRIVING ONE OF SAID PLURALITY OF NUMBER WHEELS FORREGISTERING A DESIRED COUNT THEREBY, SECOND MEANS FOR DRIVING ANOTHERONE OF SAID PLURALITY OF NUMBER WHEELS FOR REGISTERING A DESIRED COUNTTHEREBY, MEANS FOR IMPARTING A ROTATION OF SAID OTHER NUMBER WHEEL WHENSAID ONE NUMBER WHEEL PASSES THROUGH A PREDETERMINED POSITION, MEANS FORRENDERING SAID ROTATION IMPARTING MEANS OPERATIVE ONLY AFTER THE DRIVINGOF THE SAID OTHER NUMBER WHEEL BY THE SAID SECOND DRIVING MEANS HAS BEENEFFECTED, SAID ROTATION IMPARTING MEANS COMPRISING A LEVER, A TOOTHMEMBER ON SAID LEVER, A TOOTHED WHEEL, ROTATABLY MOUNTED CAM MEANS FORENGAGEMENT BY SAID LEVER TO MOVE SAID TOOTH MEMBER INTO POSITION FORENGAGING SAID TOOTHED WHEEL, A ROTATION-IMPARTING MEMBER RIGID WITH SAIDCAM MEANS, SAID CAM MEANS BEING ROTATABLE FROM AN INOPERATIVE POSITIONINTO AN ENGAGEMENT-EFFECTIVE POSITION BY SAID ROTATION-IMPARTING MEMBER,A WHEEL, AND A TOOTH THEREON, SAID ROTATION-IMPARTING MEMBER BEINGARRANGED FOR ENGAGEMENT BY SAID TOOTH OF SAID WHEEL WHICH IS ROTATABLEIN SEQUENCE WITH ROTATION OF SAID ONE NUMBER WHEEL, WHEREBY ON ROTATIONOF SAID ONE NUMBER WHEEL THROUGH SAID PREDETERMINED POSITION, SAID TOOTHOF SAID ROTATABLE WHEEL ENGAGES SAID ROTATIONIMPARTING MEMBER ANDROTATES SAID CAM MEANS INTO THE ENGAGEMENT-EFFECTIVE POSITION.